System and method for generating and using a wearable device profile

ABSTRACT

A system and method for generating and using a wearable device profile are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: a retention mechanism including an attachment mechanism configured to attach the retention mechanism to a body part of a user; a memory device for storage of information indicative of the location of the body part in a wearable device profile; and a data interface for communicating the wearable device profile to another electronic device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent application relates to electronic systems, wearable devices,mobile devices, and electronic-enabled apparel according to variousexample embodiments, and more specifically to a system and method forgenerating and using a wearable device profile.

BACKGROUND

Computing devices, communication devices, imaging devices, electronicdevices, accessories, or other types of peripheral devices designed tobe worn or attached to a user (denoted as wearables or wearable devices)are becoming very popular. Wearables can be considered to be a form ofmobile device. Mobile phones with headsets or earbud accessories, theGoogle® Glass™ wearable computer, wrist-worn devices, waist or ankleworn devices, and garments with embedded phones or music players areexamples of such wearables or mobile devices.

The wearable's device market space is expected to substantially grow inthe coming years. A good portion of these devices will be wearable'sthat are designed directly into or onto an article of clothing; because,the device will need to be connected to a series of sensors that arewoven into the clothing itself. Knowing the body area on which awearable is placed is valuable for many reasons. For example, anestimate of calories burned would be different for the sameaccelerometer readings from the ankle vs. the wrist. One approach tounderstanding place of attachment is through analysis of accelerometerreadings; however, this requires a sufficient sample of movement.Depending on the exercise or the movement, the analysis may bemisinterpreted. Sometimes a device may be used as a wearable and anon-wearable. It could be advantageous for a system to know when adevice is being used as a wearable device or attached to a stationaryholding mechanism. It is also desirable to have additional ways to allowa system to understand where a given device is attached to a body or toan object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not byway of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example of a same mobile device being wornon two different parts of the body;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of a system and method forgenerating and using a wearable device profile;

FIG. 4 illustrates another example embodiment of a system and method forgenerating and using a wearable device profile;

FIG. 5 illustrates the system components of an example embodiment of aretention mechanism and a snap-in module;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an example embodiment of a method asdescribed herein; and

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exampleform of a mobile computing and/or communication system within which aset of instructions when executed and/or processing logic when activatedmay cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdescribed and/or claimed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the various embodiments. It will be evident, however,to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various embodiments may bepracticed without these specific details.

In the various embodiments described herein, a system and method forgenerating and using a wearable device profile are disclosed. Thevarious embodiments described herein provide various ways to instrumentstraps, bands, and/or other mobile device retention mechanisms in such away that the retention mechanism can obtain and report information abouthow or where a wearable device is attached to the body of a user or anobject. This information obtained and reported by the retentionmechanism can be stored in a wearable device profile that can be used toconfigure the operation of the wearable device, a mobile device, orother electronic devices. For example, a retention mechanism of anembodiment described herein may determine and report that the wearabledevice associated with or retained by the retention mechanism iscurrently being worn on a user's wrist. This information, stored in thewearable device profile, can be used by processing logic in the wearabledevice or in separate devices to infer that an accelerometer, forexample, used by the wearable device is positioned on the user's wristrelative to the user's body. This information can be used to adjust themotion parameters of the accelerometer to more accurately computemovement, speed, and position of the user. In a similar manner, theinformation in the wearable device profile can be used to configure theoperation of the wearable device, a mobile device, or other electronicdevices. The wearable device, mobile device, other electronic device, orother computing machine may be a personal computer (PC), a laptopcomputer, a tablet computing system, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA),a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a web appliance, a fitness device, amedical device, a timing device, a communication device, a recordingdevice, a set-top box (STB), a network router, switch or bridge, or anymachine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential orotherwise) or activating processing logic that specify actions to betaken by that machine. Various example embodiments are described indetail below.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example of a same mobile device 10 beingworn on two different parts of the body, the wrist of the wearer and theankle of the wearer. As well-known, the diameter of a typical person'swrist is different than the diameter of the person's ankle. Similarly,the dimensions of other parts of the body have distinctive measurementsthat enable an example embodiment described herein to differentiatebetween the different body locations on which a mobile device may beworn or attached. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a strap orband 12 (e.g., a retention mechanism) can be used to attach the mobiledevice 10 to the wrist or ankle. Because the diameter of a typicalperson's wrist is typically different than the diameter of the person'sankle, the strap or band 12 would have to attach differently between thewrist and ankle to accommodate the different sizes of these body parts.In particular, the wrist band would likely be attached to a point on theband that forms a smaller circumference relative to the attach point foran ankle band, where the circumference would likely be larger. Thisdifference in the placement of the attach point on the strap/band thatis used to adjust the retention mechanism to accommodate different bodyparts can be used in an example embodiment to associate the adjustmentof the retention mechanism with the location on the body or object wherethe mobile device is being worn. The information corresponding to theadjustment of the retention mechanism can be stored in a wearable deviceprofile and used by the mobile device or other devices to configure orcalibrate the operation of the mobile device.

In an example embodiment, the retention mechanism can have memory, acontroller, data processor, central processing unit (CPU), or othercomputing element, and output interface to report the retentionmechanism profile to a wearable device that is attached to or associatedwith the retention mechanism. In a particular embodiment, a strap (e.g.,a portion of the retention mechanism) can be instrumented so that thestrap measures the circumference of the limb or torso area to which thestrap and associated mobile device are attached. This embodiment has theadded advantage of enabling an estimation of the size of the person (orthe person's limb) wearing the associated mobile device.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, example embodiments of a system forgenerating and using a wearable device profile are illustrated. Theseexample embodiments can be used to obtain and report, for example, thecircumference of the retention mechanism used to secure a mobile deviceto the body or other object of a user. FIG. 3 illustrates a system 300including a wearable mobile device 320 with a connected retentionmechanism including an attachment mechanism in the form of straps 310with an adjustable clip 330 that can adjustably secure the straps 310 atvarious different attachment points 340 to adjust the circumference(e.g., sizing) created by the straps 310. As well-known, such anattachment mechanism can be used to attach the mobile device 320 withthe connected retention mechanism to a part of the user's body oranother object. The clip 330 can be configured to include a smallcomputing element (e.g., a processor, controller, a logic, array, or thelike), a memory device, and a sensing surface. The computing element andthe memory device can be used to process and store data. The sensingsurface of clip 330 can make electrical or magnetic contact withcorresponding conductive elements installed at each of the attachmentpoints 340. When the strap 310 is adjusted by the user, the movement ofthe attachment points 340 across the sensing surface of the clip 330allows a conduction to occur between the sensing surface of the clip 330and a particular one of the conductive elements 340 at the point wherethe user has secured the clip 330. The identity or location of theparticular one of the conductive elements 340, and other attachmentdata, can be obtained by the computing element of the clip 330 andstored in the memory device of the clip 330. In this example embodiment,the retention mechanism (e.g., the combination of the attachmentmechanism including the straps 310 and the clip 330, along with thecomputing element and the memory device) can obtain the sizing of thestraps as adjusted by the user and save this sizing data in the memorydevice of the retention mechanism. This strap sizing data can be savedas part of a wearable device profile stored on the retention mechanism.As described in more detail below, this wearable device profile can bereported to an associated mobile device or other electronic device. Inan alternative embodiment, a memory device can be installed at each ofthe conductive elements 340. These memory devices can be used to storean identifier corresponding to the particular conductive element 340. Inanother embodiment, these memory devices can be used to store anindication of the presence or absence of a conduction event or a settingvalue relative to the sensing surface of the clip 330.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the mobile device 320 or the associatedretention mechanism can be configured to include a receptacle for asnap-in module 360. As described in more detail below, the snap-inmodule 360 can include a variety of sensor arrays, input and outputsubsystems, and data processing, data storage, and data communicationcapabilities. In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the snap-inmodule 360 can be inserted into a wrist-based strap. The snap-in module360 can receive the wearable device profile data generated and stored bythe retention mechanism in a variety of ways. As shown in FIG. 3, awired connection 350 can be used to electrically connect the retentionmechanism with the snap-in module 360. In alternative embodiments, awireless data connection can be established between the computingelement of the retention mechanism and the snap-in module 360. In eithercase, the snap-in module 360 can receive the wearable device profiledata, including the sizing data determined by the retention mechanism.This wearable device profile data can be used by the snap-in module 360in a variety of ways to configure the operation of the associated mobiledevice 320. For example, the wearable device profile data, andparticularly the retention mechanism sizing information, can be used toinfer the particular body part or object on which the snap-in module 360and the associated mobile device 320 is being worn. Depending on thewearable device profile data and the information on how the mobiledevice is being worn, the snap-in module 360 and the associated mobiledevice 320 can be automatically configured to behave in different ways.For example, the snap-in module 360 and/or the associated mobile device320 can be configured to display a watch face by default if the wearabledevice profile data indicates that the mobile device 320 is being wornon the wrist of the user. By contrast, the snap-in module 360 and/or theassociated mobile device 320 can be configured to function as alife-logging camera if the wearable device profile data indicates thatthe mobile device 320 is being worn as attached to a head strap. It willbe apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of thedisclosure herein that the snap-in module 360 and/or the associatedmobile device 320 can be configured to function in a variety ofdifferent ways based on information obtained or inferred from thewearable device profile data. The determination of function can be madeat various points in the system. For example, the snap-in module 360 maycontain a sufficient computing system, as described herein, to read thewearable device profile data from the retention mechanism and useaccelerometer data, for example, differently to estimate caloriesburned, speed, distance traveled, etc., depending on the informationobtained or inferred from the wearable device profile data.Alternatively, the snap-in module 360 can wirelessly transmit data to asmartphone and/or a cloud-based server to run code that treatsaccelerometer data or other sensor data differently based on theinformation obtained or inferred from the wearable device profile data.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment of a system andmethod for generating and using a wearable device profile isillustrated. In the example embodiment 400 shown in FIG. 4, a retentionmechanism including an attachment mechanism in the form of strap or band410 with an adjustable clip 430 is provided. The attachment mechanism ofthe retention mechanism can adjustably secure the strap 410 at variousdifferent attachment points 440 to adjust the circumference (e.g.,sizing) created by the strap 410. As well-known, such an attachmentmechanism can be used to attach the retention mechanism to a part of theuser's body or another object. The clip 430 can be configured to includea small computing element (e.g., a processor, controller, a logic,array, or the like), a memory device, and a sensing surface. Thecomputing element and the memory device can be used to process and storedata. The sensing surface of clip 430 can make electrical or magneticcontact with corresponding conductive elements installed at each of theattachment points 440. When the strap 410 is adjusted by the user, themovement of the attachment points 440 across the sensing surface of theclip 430 allows a conduction to occur between the sensing surface of theclip 430 and a particular one of the conductive elements 440 at thepoint where the user has secured the clip 430. The identity or locationof the particular one of the conductive elements 440 can be obtained bythe computing element of the clip 430 and stored in the memory device ofthe clip 430. In this example embodiment, the retention mechanism (e.g.,the combination of the attachment mechanism including strap 410 and theclip 430, along with the computing element and the memory device) canobtain the sizing of the strap 410 as adjusted by the user and save thissizing data in the memory device of the retention mechanism. This strapsizing data can be saved as part of a wearable device profile stored onthe retention mechanism. As described in more detail below, thiswearable device profile can be reported to an associated mobile deviceor other electronic device. In an alternative embodiment, a memorydevice can be installed at each of the conductive elements 440. Thesememory devices can be used to store an identifier corresponding to theparticular conductive element 440. In another embodiment, these memorydevices can be used to store an indication of the presence or absence ofa conduction event or a setting value relative to the sensing surface ofthe clip 430.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the strap 410 can be configured to include areceptacle for an accelerometer 460 or other sensing device. As wellknown in the art, such sensing devices 460 can be configured towirelessly report sensor data to a separate mobile device or proximatecomputing device. In a similar manner, the retention mechanism canwirelessly report the wearable device profile data, including strap 410sizing data, to a separate mobile device, a proximate computing device,or other electronic device. The separate mobile device or proximatecomputing device can use the wearable device profile data to configurethe processing of the sensor data received from the sensing device 460.For example, as described above, the separate mobile device or proximatecomputing device can use the accelerometer data differently to estimatecalories burned, speed, distance traveled, etc., depending on theinformation obtained or inferred from the wearable device profile data.Additionally, the separate mobile device or proximate computing devicecan be configured to function in a variety of different ways or modesbased on information obtained or inferred from the wearable deviceprofile data received from the retention mechanism.

In an example embodiment, the wearable device profile data obtained,retained, or inferred by the retention mechanism of various exampleembodiments described herein can include one or more of the followingdata fields or values: 1) retention mechanism type, 2) wearable vs.non-wearable device, 3) previous retention mechanism size settings, 4)current retention mechanism size setting, 5) various body partmeasurements provided by the user/owner that be correlated with theretention mechanism sizing data to determine the body part thatcorresponds to the retention mechanism size setting, 6) object types towhich the retention mechanism can be attached, 7) various object partmeasurements provided by the user/owner that be correlated with theretention mechanism sizing data to determine the object part thatcorresponds to the retention mechanism size setting, 8) user/ownerdemographic information, 9) default configuration data, and relateddata. Some of the wearable device profile data may be populated bydefault during manufacture or provided through system updates. The firsttime a user/owner wears a mobile device with the retention mechanism ona given body part, the user/owner can indicate to the retentionmechanism to which part of the body the retention mechanism is attachedusing a user interface (e.g., voice input/output—I/O, a phone app userinterface—UI, or the like). Subsequently, the retention mechanism canmake that determination automatically based on the detected retentionmechanism size setting and the corresponding body part or object. In thecase of accelerometer readings, the mobile device can use the wearabledevice profile data provided by the retention mechanism of an exampleembodiment to configure the accelerometer data as coming from the wristor the ankle, for example.

FIG. 5 illustrates the system components of an example embodiment of theretention mechanism 550 and the snap-in module 500. As described abovefor an example embodiment, the retention mechanism 550 can be configuredto be in data communication with the snap-in module 360 in either awired or wireless configuration. The retention mechanism 550 in anexample embodiment can include an attachment mechanism 553, a sizesensing or sensing module 555, and a memory element 560 for storage ofthe wearable device profile data, including the sizing data. Theattachment mechanism 553 can include the straps or band and the clip asdescribed above. The size sensing or sensing module 555 can include asmall computing element (e.g., a processor, controller, a logic, array,or the like) and one or more sensing surfaces. In an example embodiment,the size sensing module 555 can be installed in a clip or other portionof the attachment mechanism 553 of the retention mechanism 550. The sizesensing module 555 can be used to process the attachment data receivedfrom the conductive elements of a strap or band of the retentionmechanism 550. As described above, when the strap or band is adjusted bythe user, the movement of the attachment points on the strap or bandacross the sensing surface of the clip allows the size sensing module555 to identify or locate the particular one of the attachment points atwhich the strap or band has been secured. This information can beobtained by the size sensing module 555 and stored in the memory element560 with the wearable device profile data. As a result, the retentionmechanism 550 can obtain the sizing of the straps or band as adjusted bythe user and can save this sizing data in the memory element 560 of theretention mechanism 550. The computing element of the size sensingmodule 555 can report this wearable device profile to the snap-in module500 in a wired or wireless data communication as described above.

Referring still to FIG. 5, the snap-in module 500 of an exampleembodiment can include a variety of sensor arrays 510, output subsystems515, input subsystems 520 and 525, and data processing, data storage,and data communication capabilities 530. In a particular embodiment, thesensor arrays 510 can include microphones, force detectors, cameras,tactile sensors, conductance sensors, and a variety of other sensingdevices. The output subsystems 515 can include display devices,speakers, haptic devices, and other output devices. The input subsystemscan include a voice recognition module 520 and an accelerometerprocessing module 525. The voice recognition module 520 can be used toreceive voice input from a user for configuration of the retentionmechanism 550 and/or the snap-in module 500. The accelerometerprocessing module 525 can be used to process accelerometer data receivedfrom an accelerometer or acceleration sensor. The component 530 caninclude a data processor, a memory device, and communication interfacesfor communicating with the retention mechanism 550 and/or separatemobile devices or other computing systems.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the snap-in module 500 canreceive the wearable device profile data generated and stored by theretention mechanism 550 in a variety of ways. As shown in FIG. 3 anddescribed above, a wired connection can be used to electrically connectthe retention mechanism 550 with the snap-in module 500. In alternativeembodiments, a wireless data connection can be established between theretention mechanism 550 and the snap-in module 500. In either case, thesnap-in module 500 can receive the wearable device profile data,including the sizing data determined by the retention mechanism 550.This wearable device profile data can be used by the snap-in module 500in a variety of ways to configure the operation of the sensor arrays510, the output subsystems 515, the input subsystems 520 and 525, and/oran associated mobile device. For example, the wearable device profiledata, and particularly the retention mechanism sizing information, canbe used to infer the particular body part or object on which the snap-inmodule 500 and the associated mobile device are being worn or attached.Depending on the wearable device profile data and the information on howthe mobile device is being worn or attached, the snap-in module 500 andthe associated mobile device can be automatically configured to behavein different ways. For example, if the wearable device profile dataindicates that the snap-in module 500 and the associated mobile deviceare being worn on the wrist of the user, the snap-in module 500 and/orthe associated mobile device can be configured to, for example, activate(or deactivate) a tactile or conductance sensor of sensor arrays 510,deactivate (or activate) a camera of sensor arrays 510, display a watchface via output subsystems 515, adjust the accelerometer processingmodule 525 for a wrist-worn sensor, and the like. In other examples, thesnap-in module 500 and/or the associated mobile device can be configuredto activate a camera of sensor arrays 510 to function as a life-loggingcamera, if the wearable device profile data indicates that the snap-inmodule 500 and/or the associated mobile device is being worn as attachedto a head strap. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the artin view of the disclosure herein that the snap-in module 500 and/or theassociated mobile device can be configured to function in a variety ofdifferent ways based on information obtained or inferred from thewearable device profile data. In other examples, the snap-in module 500and/or the associated mobile device can be configured to cause theaccelerometer processing module 525 to use accelerometer datadifferently to estimate calories burned, speed, distance traveled, etc.,depending on the information obtained or inferred from the wearabledevice profile data. In yet another embodiment, the wearable deviceprofile may be stored in part on the snap-in module 500 and in part onthe retention mechanism 550 and/or on separate mobile devices or othercomputing systems. In this case, the retention mechanism 550 may, forexample, just report the identity of the body part to which theretention mechanism 550 is attached. Then, the snap-in module 500 candirect device behavior that corresponds to the identified body part.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of thedisclosure herein that various parts of the snap-in module 500 asdescribed herein can be optional and/or located on a device separatefrom the illustrated snap-in module 500, including output subsystem 515,voice recognition module 520, and accelerometer processing module 525.It will also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in viewof the disclosure herein that a variety of different configurations ofthe system components as described herein can be implemented.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a flow diagram illustrates an exampleembodiment of a method for generating and using a wearable deviceprofile as described herein. The method 600 of an example embodimentincludes: attaching a retention mechanism to a body part of a user(processing block 610); determining a location of the body part to whichthe retention mechanism is attached (processing block 620); storinginformation indicative of the location of the body part in a wearabledevice profile (processing block 630); and communicating the wearabledevice profile to another electronic device (processing block 640).

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exampleform of a mobile computing and/or communication system 700 within whicha set of instructions when executed and/or processing logic whenactivated may cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies described and/or claimed herein. In alternativeembodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may beconnected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networkeddeployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or aclient machine in server-client network environment, or as a peermachine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. Themachine may be a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a tabletcomputing system, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellulartelephone, a smartphone, a web appliance, a set-top box (STB), a networkrouter, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set ofinstructions (sequential or otherwise) or activating processing logicthat specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only asingle machine is illustrated, the term “machine” can also be taken toinclude any collection of machines that individually or jointly executea set (or multiple sets) of instructions or processing logic to performany one or more of the methodologies described and/or claimed herein.

The example mobile computing and/or communication system 700 includes adata processor 702 (e.g., a System-on-a-Chip (SoC), general processingcore, graphics core, and optionally other processing logic) and a memory704, which can communicate with each other via a bus or other datatransfer system 706. The mobile computing and/or communication system700 may further include various input/output (I/O) devices and/orinterfaces 710, such as a touchscreen display, an audio jack, andoptionally a network interface 712. In an example embodiment, thenetwork interface 712 can include one or more radio transceiversconfigured for compatibility with any one or more standard wirelessand/or cellular protocols or access technologies (e.g., 2nd (2G), 2.5,3rd (3G), 4th (4G) generation, and future generation radio access forcellular systems, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), GeneralPacket Radio Services (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE),Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), LTE, CDMA2000, WLAN,Wireless Router (WR) mesh, and the like). Network interface 712 may alsobe configured for use with various other wired and/or wirelesscommunication protocols, including TCP/IP, UDP, SIP, SMS, RTP, WAP,CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, UWB, WiMax, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11x, and the like. Inessence, network interface 712 may include or support virtually anywired and/or wireless communication mechanisms by which information maytravel between the mobile computing and/or communication system 700 andanother computing or communication system via network 714.

The memory 704 can represent a machine-readable medium on which isstored one or more sets of instructions, software, firmware, or otherprocessing logic (e.g., logic 708) embodying any one or more of themethodologies or functions described and/or claimed herein. The logic708, or a portion thereof, may also reside, completely or at leastpartially within the processor 702 during execution thereof by themobile computing and/or communication system 700. As such, the memory704 and the processor 702 may also constitute machine-readable media.The logic 708, or a portion thereof, may also be configured asprocessing logic or logic, at least a portion of which is partiallyimplemented in hardware. The logic 708, or a portion thereof, mayfurther be transmitted or received over a network 714 via the networkinterface 712. While the machine-readable medium of an exampleembodiment can be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium”should be taken to include a single non-transitory medium or multiplenon-transitory media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database,and/or associated caches and computing systems) that store the one ormore sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” can alsobe taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by themachine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies of the various embodiments, or that is capable of storing,encoding or carrying data structures utilized by or associated with sucha set of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” canaccordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-statememories, optical media, and magnetic media.

In various embodiments as described herein, example embodiments includeat least the following examples.

A retention mechanism comprising: an attachment mechanism configured toattach the retention mechanism to a body part of a user; a memory devicefor storage of information indicative of a location of the body part ina wearable device profile; and a data interface for communicating thewearable device profile to another electronic device.

The retention mechanism as claimed above including a sensing module todetermine the location of the body part to which the retention mechanismis attached.

The retention mechanism as claimed above including a sensing module todetermine the location of the body part to which the retention mechanismis attached, the sensing module including a computing element todetermine a sizing of the attachment mechanism as adjusted by the user.

The retention mechanism as claimed above wherein the attachmentmechanism includes one or more straps or a band and a clip to adjustablysecure the straps or the band at a particular attachment point.

The retention mechanism as claimed above wherein the informationindicative of the location of the body part includes informationcorresponding to a sizing of the attachment mechanism as adjusted by theuser.

The retention mechanism as claimed above including a snap-in module indata communication with the data interface.

The retention mechanism as claimed above wherein the data interface forcommunicating the wearable device profile is configured to communicatethe wearable device profile via a wired or wireless data connection.

A system comprising: a mobile device; and a retention mechanismincluding an attachment mechanism configured to attach the retentionmechanism and the mobile device to a body part of a user; a memorydevice for storage of information indicative of the location of the bodypart in a wearable device profile; and a data interface forcommunicating the wearable device profile to another electronic device.

The system as claimed above including a sensing module to determine thelocation of the body part to which the retention mechanism is attached.

The system as claimed above including a sensing module to determine thelocation of the body part to which the retention mechanism is attached,the sensing module including a computing element to determine a sizingof the attachment mechanism as adjusted by the user.

The system as claimed above wherein the attachment mechanism includesone or more straps or a band and a clip to adjustably secure the strapsor the band at a particular attachment point.

The system as claimed above wherein the information indicative of thelocation of the body part includes information corresponding to a sizingof the attachment mechanism as adjusted by the user.

The system as claimed above including a snap-in module in datacommunication with the data interface.

The system as claimed above wherein the data interface for communicatingthe wearable device profile is configured to communicate the wearabledevice profile via a wired or wireless data connection.

The system as claimed above wherein the mobile device is of a type fromthe group consisting of: a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellulartelephone, a smartphone, a web appliance, a fitness device, a medicaldevice, a timing device, a communication device, and a recording device.

A method comprising: attaching a retention mechanism to a body part of auser; determining a location of the body part to which the retentionmechanism is attached; storing information indicative of the location ofthe body part in a wearable device profile; and communicating thewearable device profile to another electronic device.

The method as claimed above including using one or more straps or a bandand a clip to adjustably secure the straps or the band at a particularattachment point.

The method as claimed above including determining a sizing of anattachment mechanism as adjusted by the user.

The method as claimed above including communicating with a snap-inmodule.

The method as claimed above including communicating the wearable deviceprofile via a wired or wireless data connection.

A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructionswhich, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: attach aretention mechanism to a body part of a user; determine a location ofthe body part to which the retention mechanism is attached; storeinformation indicative of the location of the body part in a wearabledevice profile; and communicate the wearable device profile to anotherelectronic device.

The machine-useable storage medium as claimed above being furtherconfigured for use of one or more straps or a band and a clip toadjustably secure the straps or the band at a particular attachmentpoint.

The machine-useable storage medium as claimed above being furtherconfigured to determine a sizing of an attachment mechanism as adjustedby the user.

The machine-useable storage medium as claimed above being furtherconfigured to communicate with a snap-in module.

The machine-useable storage medium as claimed above being furtherconfigured to communicate the wearable device profile via a wired orwireless data connection.

An apparatus comprising: an attachment means configured to attach theapparatus to a body part of a user; a memory means for storage ofinformation indicative of a location of the body part in a wearabledevice profile; and a data interfacing means for communicating thewearable device profile to another electronic device.

The apparatus as claimed above including a sensing means to determinethe location of the body part to which the apparatus is attached.

The apparatus as claimed above including a sensing means to determinethe location of the body part to which the apparatus is attached, thesensing means including a computing means to determine a sizing of theattachment means as adjusted by the user.

The apparatus as claimed above wherein the attachment means includes oneor more straps or a band and a clip to adjustably secure the straps orthe band at a particular attachment point.

The apparatus as claimed above wherein the information indicative of thelocation of the body part includes information corresponding to a sizingof the attachment means as adjusted by the user.

The apparatus as claimed above including a snap-in means in datacommunication with the data interfacing means.

The apparatus as claimed above wherein the data interfacing means forcommunicating the wearable device profile is configured to communicatethe wearable device profile via a wired or wireless data connection.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R.§1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quicklyascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted withthe understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit thescope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing DetailedDescription, it can be seen that various features are grouped togetherin a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure.This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting anintention that the claimed embodiments require more features than areexpressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claimsreflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of asingle disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are herebyincorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing onits own as a separate embodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A retention mechanism comprising: an attachmentmechanism configured to attach the retention mechanism to a body part ofa user; a memory device for storage of information indicative of alocation of the body part in a wearable device profile; and a datainterface for communicating the wearable device profile to anotherelectronic device.
 2. The retention mechanism of claim 1 including asensing module to determine the location of the body part to which theretention mechanism is attached.
 3. The retention mechanism of claim 1including a sensing module to determine the location of the body part towhich the retention mechanism is attached, the sensing module includinga computing element to determine a sizing of the attachment mechanism asadjusted by the user.
 4. The retention mechanism of claim 1 wherein theattachment mechanism includes one or more straps or a band and a clip toadjustably secure the straps or the band at a particular attachmentpoint.
 5. The retention mechanism of claim 1 wherein the informationindicative of the location of the body part includes informationcorresponding to a sizing of the attachment mechanism as adjusted by theuser.
 6. The retention mechanism of claim 1 including a snap-in modulein data communication with the data interface.
 7. The retentionmechanism of claim 1 wherein the data interface for communicating thewearable device profile is configured to communicate the wearable deviceprofile via a wired or wireless data connection.
 8. A system comprising:a mobile device; and a retention mechanism including an attachmentmechanism configured to attach the retention mechanism and the mobiledevice to a body part of a user; a memory device for storage ofinformation indicative of the location of the body part in a wearabledevice profile; and a data interface for communicating the wearabledevice profile to another electronic device.
 9. The system of claim 8including a sensing module to determine the location of the body part towhich the retention mechanism is attached.
 10. The system of claim 8including a sensing module to determine the location of the body part towhich the retention mechanism is attached, the sensing module includinga computing element to determine a sizing of the attachment mechanism asadjusted by the user.
 11. The system of claim 8 wherein the attachmentmechanism includes one or more straps or a band and a clip to adjustablysecure the straps or the band at a particular attachment point.
 12. Thesystem of claim 8 wherein the information indicative of the location ofthe body part includes information corresponding to a sizing of theattachment mechanism as adjusted by the user.
 13. The system of claim 8including a snap-in module in data communication with the datainterface.
 14. The system of claim 8 wherein the data interface forcommunicating the wearable device profile is configured to communicatethe wearable device profile via a wired or wireless data connection. 15.The system of claim 8 wherein the mobile device is of a type from thegroup consisting of: a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellulartelephone, a smartphone, a web appliance, a fitness device, a medicaldevice, a timing device, a communication device, and a recording device.16. A method comprising: attaching a retention mechanism to a body partof a user; determining a location of the body part to which theretention mechanism is attached; storing information indicative of thelocation of the body part in a wearable device profile; andcommunicating the wearable device profile to another electronic device.17. The method of claim 16 including using one or more straps or a bandand a clip to adjustably secure the straps or the band at a particularattachment point.
 18. The method of claim 16 including determining asizing of an attachment mechanism as adjusted by the user.
 19. Themethod of claim 16 including communicating with a snap-in module. 20.The method of claim 16 including communicating the wearable deviceprofile via a wired or wireless data connection.